Vinery graduate Farnan received a ballot-free entry into the Golden Slipper Stakes with an effortless victory in Saturday’s Silver Slipper Stakes Gr.2 at Rosehill
Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) tracked front-running filly Every Rose into the straight and put the race to bed with a stunning turn of foot at the furlong. He skipped three lengths clear and held that margin to the line from runner-up Global Quest (More Than Ready).
“He’s an exciting young horse and it’s a real honour to ride him,” stand-in jockey Hugh Bowman said. “I was happy to fill in for Tim (Clark) and he gave me the feel of a horse that is going to keep improving.
“He isn’t screwed right down yet and is in the right hands for a Golden Slipper.”
Trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott purchased Farnan from Vinery Stud for $550,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. He’s a three-quarter brother to Sydney Stakes winner Sandbar (Snitzel) and their dam Tallow (Street Cry) won a Vanity Stakes Gr.3 at Flemington.
It was the sixth Silver Slipper victory for Waterhouse and bookmakers firmed Farnan into an $8 second-favourite for the Golden Slipper Stakes Gr.1 at Rosehill on March 21. Global Quest is at $15.
Farnan had won his first two starts at Canberra and Wyong but disappointed in the $2million Magic Millions 2yo Classic in January. “He got onto the worst part of the track at Gold Coast but it did dent our confidence,” Bott said. “It was important to see him measure up today and he certainly made a statement.”
Miss Siska is another Group 1-bound Vinery graduate following her fighting win in the Peter Young Stakes Gr.2 at Caulfield. The So You Think half-sister to star sprinter Hay List had won the Carlyon Cup Gr.3 first-up on February 8.
“She’s a tough mare and her last prep set up this campaign,” trainer Grahame Begg said. “She raced three weeks in a row during the spring and has carried that form through to this year. She’s a dream to train and just keeps getting the job done.”
Miss Siska’s Group 1 goal is the $1.5million Australian Cup on March 7. “She loves the 2000m trip at Flemington and we may go the Sydney if the weather holds up,” Begg added. “She appreciates being on top of the ground.”
With two Vinery Graduates bagging Group 2 wins over the weekend it will be interesting to see how busy the eight Vinery yearlings at the Inglis Premier sale are this week.
You can inspect them at the Oaklands complex in Barn C, Stables 103 – 111 from Tuesday the 25th of February, with the three day sale kicking off on the 1st of March 2020.
